Thank you Karl.
I do understand that this piano was manufactured before Yamaha was using Wurzen felt for their CF series. When I refer above to the hammers Yamaha was supplying "at that time", I was referring to the time of the comments in 2002 from Antares from Amsterdam. I also expect, based on my limited experience, that if I were to order hammers for this instrument today from Yamaha, I would receive hammers covered with Wurzen felt.
So far I have received comments on Yamaha Wurzen hammers, Abel Naturals, and Ronsen Wurzens. I curious what the experience of others has been in choosing and evaluating hammers in the Yamaha CF series pianos.
------------------------------
Floyd Gadd
Regina SK
306-502-9103
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2020 20:02
From: Karl Roeder
Subject: Hammer Choice for Yamaha CF
Hmmmm. I may have this wrong but I don't think Wurzen felt existed in 1986. My understanding was that the company started after the fall of the Berlin wall in1989. In 1991 Klaus and Jack Brand Re-privatized the Weikert felt plant in Wurzen which had been behind the Iron curtain in East Germany since 1945. Jack Brand has told of how he was handed the Weikert felt recipies by the former production manager. Yamaha is currently using Wurzen felt to great effect. A few years ago when I replaced the Hammers on a CFIII Yamaha recommended I use the original hammer makers hammers which they then told me weren't available. After some convincing They sold me the hammers they currently use for the CFX which are made with Wurzen felt. They are very nice hammers but need quite a bit of filing, needling and very specific hardening. If you aren't familiar with these sort of techniques used on big pianos then they might not be what you're looking for. I have used Brooks Ltd Abel naturals on large Steinway and Yamaha pianos and they work well with far less intervention by the installer. They are however going to produce a very bright, some might say aggressive, tone and may require substantial softening. I have never installed a bad set of Ronsen hammers and use them often. Also, I like the gang at Pianotek and they have always been helpful when I didn't understand what I was doing (okay all of you can stop laughing now).
------------------------------
Karl Roeder
Pompano Beach FL
Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2020 13:08
From: Floyd Gadd
Subject: Hammer Choice for Yamaha CF
I am preparing to replace the hammers on a 1986 Yamaha CF. I've been searching the archives here, and several years ago there were some strong recommendations for using the hammers that Yamaha was at that time supplying for this series, which were made with Wurzen felt.
The Ronsen Wurzen hammers from Pianotek look like another option. What recommendations do you have?
------------------------------
Floyd Gadd
Regina SK
306-502-9103
------------------------------